My wife has a clean 2004 Durango with the 5.7 Hemi. We have owned this thing since 2007 and its been great, no problems, and we've loved it. The other morning she fired it up and it is knocking like crazy, seems like piston/top noise. No warning, just happenend immediately.

I've researched it quite heavily, and talked to the rebuilders. I guess it is fairly common for the early 2004-2006 Hemi motors to have a valve break off, lodge in the piston, and cause fatal failure. I'm not complaining, as we got 50,000 miles of use before this happened (now has 140,000 miles on it).

A rebuild is going to run 3,500-4,000, which will give me a 3 year 250,000 mile warranty. Not too bad, but I'd still have a 15 mpg SUV

Or, I could swap in one of my 3.9 cummins 4bt motors (I have them in stock) which would be a huge undertaking (new trans, figure out how to get the t-case and dash electrical working, etc.) But it would probably net me a 30 mpg SUV.

4bt would be pretty cool, wiring would be the hardest part. see what someone like howel efi would charge to do it for you to make it fast. I think you could do this swap easily enough in 1-2 intense weekends with parts, steel, and some research.

As others have said in the past, 4bt vibrate like crazy, smell like shit, don't make a ton of power.

being it's the wifes ride, I think she would bitch about the vibes, complain about the diesel smell, and whine about the power loss vs the hemi.

It would be cool, BUT not overly practical. Kinda like the dude with the 347 stroked Libby. Neat idea, but no longer overly DD'able.

My $0.02.

Those 4bt's musta had something wrong with them. I've got 3 running ones in stock, still in the bread vans. All run great, no smell, no vibes. Speed is no issue, they easily keep up with traffic. Plus the wife doesn't mind diesel, this is what I bought her in the meantime, and she is digging the 24 mpg. Picked it up cheaper than it would have cost me for a rental for the time being.

4bt would be pretty cool, wiring would be the hardest part. see what someone like howel efi would charge to do it for you to make it fast. I think you could do this swap easily enough in 1-2 intense weekends with parts, steel, and some research.

They are around the corner from my shop and I know them well. I'm planning on stopping in soon to see if they are intetested.

Your biggest challenge will be CAN networking for the cluster and finding a suitable transmission (I'd go with a 4L80E and aftermarket controller). I don't know much about the comm bus chrysler uses, but it doesn't seem insurmountable.

Your biggest challenge will be CAN networking for the cluster and finding a suitable transmission (I'd go with a 4L80E and aftermarket controller). I don't know much about the comm bus chrysler uses, but it doesn't seem insurmountable.

I probably will just drop in another Hemi for simplicity sake. However, for conversation sake, you are correct that getting the cluster to work would be the biggest problem. For a trans, I'd probably run a Dodge 47rh. No electronics, no adapters. It also (maybe) will bolt to the stock T-case. Then the prob is getting the t-case to work without a computer.

Well, it looks like we are staying with a hemi, for now. Dave at Mt. Clemens Trans is going to pull it apart and see if he can rebuild it. He has some spare motor parts from another Hemi job, and hopefully he can put it all together. I just don't have time to mess with it with the new shop and all. I used to deal with Dave on a regular basis when I was a fleet mechanic and he's always treated me right.

Finally got it back yesterday. This is what happened: #7 rod split, damaging block, head, etc. Essentially nothing was salvagable. So, after a long search Dave at Mt. Clemons called in a favor and got a brand new engine from Chrysler, not a rebuild. EVERYTHING under hood new including intake, injectors, starter, all sensors, etc. Threw in a new battery for good measure and had car detailed for me. Grand total was just under $4,500, which was a big chunk, but Katie is happy, and her Durango is essentially like new again.